Apparatus for cleaning deep wells.



G. W. DEATS. PPARATUS FOR CLEANING DEEP WELLS. APPLlcAxoN FILED MAY 29. 191s. nENEwEn suLY 3.1911.

sTATEs EATEET oEErcE.A

GEORGE w. DEATs, 0E EoRT WORTH, TEXAS.

APPARATUS EoR Specification of Letters Patent.

CLEANING DEEP WELLS.

Patented Aug. 7, 1917.

Application led May 29, 1916, Serial 11o. 100,556. Renewed July 3, 1917. Serial No. 178,484.

IState of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Cleaning Deep Wells, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to cleaning appara-v tus for deep wells and more particularlyto apparatus for breaking up and cleaning matter which has become caked or set at the lower end of deep well pumping apparatus, such as mud, paraffin, and other substances. ln oil wells, paraiiin becomes caked about the bottom of the pumping apparatus and renders the oil wells useless. One of the objects of this invention is to provide an apparatus for breaking up the caked paraflin and other material or substances and removing the same from the well and also to break up and clean out the parailin which formsV in the pipes and between the walls of theV pipes. Advantage is taken of the property of paraffin which makes it easily melted. Hot steam is used to melt or break up the caked paraffin so that it can be forced out` of the well. Steam and compressed air are also used by the same apparatus for break ing and removing mud and sand and gravel which has become settled about the bottom of the pipes and also to blow the strata between different wells. Other objects and advantages will be fully explained in the following descriptio and the invention will be more particularly'pointed out in the claims.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings. which form a part of this application.

Figure 1 is a broken diagrammatic view,

showing a side elevation` of a cleaning and` pumping apparatus and broken sections of two line pipes of adjacent wells. Fig. 2 is a brokenvertical section of the well cleaning apparatus shown in Fig. 1. Fig. Bis a4 similar view, showing an additional pipe. Fig. 4 is a broken vertical section, showing an additional pipe for cleaning the intef rior of the pump barrel.

Similar characters of reference are used to indicate the same parts throughoutthe 'several views.

A casing 1 of ordinary construction is shown with an open lower end and lperfora` tions 2 extending som'e distance from the lower end. A pump line pipe 3 is centrally Apositioned in the casing 1 and extended down within casing 1. The pipe 3 is adapted to be moved vertically within casing 1, the object being to let the pipe 3 down gradually when there is something to be broken up to be cleaned out of the well. Pipe 3 is used both as a pump line and as a cleaning pipe for forcing a fluid down to clean out mud and sand. lThe upper end of pipe 1 is opened for the outward passage of material to be removed from the well. The

pipe 5 is used in combination with the pipe 3. Air, water, or steam is forced down the pipe 3 and this operation will force the sand, mud, and other material upwardly betweenv the pipe 1 and the pipe 3. In order to aid `the operation of the pipe 3, air is forced down the pipe 5 and allowed to escape out of the open end 6 of the pipe 5. The air escapes from the'pipe 6 upwardly and thus tends to relievethe great weight of the material about the lower part of the pipe 1.

The pressure will cause the air escaplng from the end 6 to spread around the pipe 3 within the casing 1 and thus lift the column uniformly. When the pipe 3 is being through the perforations 2 above the end i of pipe 3 andthus be carried on out of the casing 1 which is open at the upper end for the outward passage of all matter to be removed from within and without the casing 1.

In case of oil wells wherein paraiiin or asphalt has become caked in and about the bottom of casing 1, hot steam is'forced down the pipe 3 to cut away the paraflin, asphalt, or other substance so that such substances can` be forced up the casing l and out of the well. The pipe 3 will be let down gradually to cut away the parailin or other substances as the pipe descends.` The steam pressure escaping from the bottom of the pipe 3 will loosen the paraffin and the paraffin will rise to the top of the water to be forced out of the well by water-which will be forced-down pipe 3.

1, within and without the pipe, has been broken and loosened up, water or other uid pressure may be forced down pipe 3 to drive the matter out between the pipe 3 and pipe 1, and air may be used through pipe 5 to assist this operation. When the paraiinvand other substances have all been cleaned out of the well, the strata from one well to another may be blown out with hot steam and air. The upper end of pipe 1 may be sutliciently closed while the strata to adjacent wells are being loosened. A plug 4 may be used when the strata between diierent wells are to be blown. This plug 4 is perforated for the passage of pipes 3, 5, and 7. The plug 4 may also be used to confine the heat of the steam within casing 1 while the paraiiin or other substance is being loosened. Chemicals may be used with the steam for the purpose of breaking up the paraflin, or asphalt, or the chemicals may be used without the steam.

Should the pipe 3 become clogged in and about the bottom thereof, a pipe 7 may be used toA force steam or compressed air down about the pump barrel or lower part of pipe 3. When the pump barrel is being used in connection with the working barrel 3, an additional small pipe 7 may be let down in the line casing 1 between the barrel of pipe 3 and the pipe 1. As this pipe 7 is let down within pipe 1 and outside of pipe 3 hot steam is run down the pipe 7 to heat the pipe 3 and the pump barrel which is a continuation of the pipe 3. This will melt the paratin inside of pipe 3 and within the casing 1. While the pump barrel is at work in connection with pipe 3, the water and oil at the bottom of pipe 3 will be heated and as the hot oil and water rises in pipe 3, this pipe 3 will be completely cleaned out. Thus the pipe 3 can be cleaned out without removing the pipe 3 from the casing 1. Hot steam is discharged from pipe 7 as this pipe is gradually let down in pipe 1. This will heat pipe 3 and aid in loosening any parain or asphalt that may be clinging to the inside of pipe 3, and when 'the hot water and oil rise or are raised from the bottom of pipe 3 up through this pipe 3, the paralin or asphalt will be carried on out of the well.

Provision is also made for introducing hot steam or other cleansing element down within the pipe 3 and the lower end lthereof which constitutes the pump barrel. A pipe 8 is run down within the pipe 3 when this alin or other matter that may be accumu` lated about the pump rod and valves and on the inside of pipe 3. The pipe 8 may be fitted with a smooth taper nozzle 10 to prevent the injury of the pump rod or valve while being placed in or removed from the pipe 3 and also to give greater force to the steam thaty is put into pipe 3. When the pipe 3is used for cleaning purposes during the clearing of the casing l the pump rod 9 and the valves may be removed from the pipe- 3.

Tn case there should be abnormal heat in the oil well sufficient to cause a crystallization of hydrocarbon elements into carbon, it is apparent that cold air can be forced down in the well to regulate the heat and any of the pipes above described can be used for this purpose.

What T claim, is,-

l. Tn an apparatus for cleaning wells, the combination with a line casing having perforations in the side near the bottom end thereof, of an interior pipe'centrally posi-- tioned in said casing and vertically movable therein for forcing hot cleaning fluids downwardly and out through said perforations, and a pipe extending `down `between the walls of said pipes and having the end bent and extended upwardly for supplying a lifting element under a column of fluid to be drawn out of the well.

2. Tn an apparatus for cleaning wells, the combination with a line casing having perforations in the side thereof near the lower end, of a combined cleaning, pipe and working barrel extending centrally down in said casing and vertically movable therein,.means for forcing hot iuids down without said pipe and within said casing, and means for forcing air down under the liquids to be drawn out of the well.

Tn testimony whereof, T set my hand this lst day of January; 1916.

GEORGE `W. BEATS. 

